Condo trash item on Swampscott agenda

SWAMPSCOTT – Selectman David Van Dam proposed a once-and-for-all vote by the board at its Wednesday meeting to decide whether the town should pay for the trash removal at some Swampscott condominiums.The 2-2 unofficial vote has been at a stalemate since September, with Chairman Rich Malagrifa and Selectman Barry Greenfield supporting the town paying an extra $17,656 a year for the trash pickup at Hawthorne’s Crossing, Crown Pointe and The Glen.Currently, the residents of the condominium pay for private trash removal. Van Dam and Selectman Glenn Kessler were against the vote.The tie could not be broken with a vote from Selectman Jill Sullivan because she owns a unit within one of the condominium facilities.Van Dam said Monday that he wanted the vote to be official, even if no one had changed their minds. “It was left lingering,” he said. “We owe it to our residents for an official vote, to see where everyone is and move on from there. I’d like to resolve it and move on to some other items.”Van Dam said he had not changed his vote.”It’s my job as selectman to support the residents. It’s to have 100 percent happy with the decision, but as long as I have the majority, that’s my job. Certainly I want to make it clear that I represent all the residents in town, but I need to do what’s best for everybody related to trash. It would increase the cost of the majority of residents to cover a few ? I believe we need to keep things the way they are.”Malagrifa said he planned to update residents with all the information on the vote at the meeting for anyone that has questions can be caught up. “It’d be nice if someone changes their mind,” he said.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].